community January 13 — 15, 2012/ issue 57

Foodie's guide to food courts

Dash too close for comfort

p 12-13 p 8

Parents want PPsmI back

p 9

By alvin Yap

PetalInG JaYa: Rogue contractors, responsible for dumping garbage on street corners last week, are resorting to cat-and-mouse games with local authorities in Sel-angor.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), which had stepped up enforcement in areas targeted by the disgruntled former contrac-tors here, are getting complaints from other areas in the city.

Some ratepayers in Kota Damansara and Sri Damansara woke up this week to domes-tic waste dumped on their streets.

“This week, we detected a spike in the collection of domestic waste from street corners in Kota Damansara Sections 6, 7, 8, Jalan Kenyalang and also Sri Damansara,” said MBPJ public complaints director Tengku Nazaruddin Zainudin.

Previously, the illegal dumping occurred at PJS 2 and consisted mainly of bulk and garden waste.

He said the contractors shifted from PJS 2 to Kota Damansara due to last week’s round-the-clock monitoring by MBPJ’s health environment teams.

Nazaruddin said the modus operandi had also changed as the disgruntled contrac-tors were now leaving household garbage by the roadside instead of bulk and garden waste.

“Most of the garbage is already rotting by the time our contractors take it off the street,” he said.

He added that the act is hazardous if it gets out of hand and slammed the despica-ble act.

The rogue contractors, he said, have not let up in their efforts to disrupt garbage col-lection in the city.

“The sabotage is still ongoing,” he said.Last week, the state issued an alert that

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim informing nursery operators and Yayasan Selangor officials that the state government will not hand out TOL for Green Lane.

• Turn To page 2

unhappy former Alam Flora Sdn Bhd con-tractors, who lost lucrative contracts after Selangor discontinued lucrative conces-sionaire contracts, were trying to disrupt waste management in local governments.

Meanwhile, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) public relations officer Norhayati Ahmad said its complaints de-

partment had received more bogus com-plaints than usual since last week.

MPAJ had received up to 100 com-plaints from callers who declined to leave their names and contact details.

Norhayati said MPAJ contractors have been sent on a wild goose chase to areas clear of rubbish.

“We sent our contractors to the area only to find the location clear of rubbish,” she said.

The additional work has stretched MPAJ's contractors ability to keep up with their nor-mal work.

She confirmed that places around Bukit Indah and Pandan Perdana had reported gar-

Dirty Gamespetaling Jaya City Council (MBpJ) enforcement officers removing an illegal barrier made of eight steel drums chained together along Jalan SS20/17, petaling Jaya. residents erected the structure to curb rampant snatch thefts in 2009. • STory in page 5

phone (603) 5510 4566fax (603) 5523 1188

email editor@selangortimes.com

EDITORIALCHIEF EDITOR KL Chan

COMMUNITY EDITOR Neville SpykermanWRITERS Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling,

Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Ch’ngCOPY EDITOR James Ang

DESIGNERS Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man YenADVERTISING Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi, Tony Kee, Samantha Sim

ADVISORS Faekah Husin, Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz

2 January 13 — 15, 2012

news

MPKj sacks 19 contractors

Disgruntled MBSA contractors were the ringleadersbage pile-ups in front of houses.

She said MPAJ contractors col-lected the domestic waste only to have ratepayers call in the next morning to complain about trash bags in front of their houses.

She did not rule out sabotage in the latest incident and said the municipal council was stepping up efforts to col-lect the rubbish left on roadsides.

“MPAJ believes that disgruntled contractors are sabotaging waste man-agement here in Ampang Jaya area,” she said.

Back-up contractors as well as in-house cleaners, she said, have been sent to the areas above to collect the garbage from roadsides.

In a related development, Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan said there were fewer cases of garbage con-tractors being prevented from enter-ing housing areas in the city.

• From page one

Klang municipal Council (mpK) staff working on one of the rubbish hotspots identified by the council. among the hotspots singled out by mpK are Jalan Kem, Jalan Teratai, meru, port Klang, Simpang empat and Sungai Udang.

Morning

Friday Saturday Sunday

afternoon

night

Selangor WeaTHer

Source: Malaysian meteorological department

By Alvin Yap

SHAH ALAM: A total of 19 contractors have been axed by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) for going on strike. The contractors are alleged to have op-posed the council's policy of holding open tenders for solid waste and cleaning contracts.

“MPKj councillor Eddie Ng said the decision was made on Wednesday, after investigations re-vealed that the contractors had stop carrying out their duties since Saturday ( Jan 7).

He said seven new contractors have been appointed to take over with immediate effect.

Meanwhile investigations are ongoing to determine if any of the other 111 contractors have resort-ed to undermining MPKj over the open tender policy.

Under policy, the municipality

"There was less interference this week," he said during a press confer-ence on Tuesday after briefing a new group of public cleaning contrac-tors.

Last week, MBSA lodged four po-lice reports after its contractors were prevented from carrying out their tasks in Sections 7, 9 and 17.

The contractors were also warned that their lorries would be torched if they went into the areas to carry out garbage collection.

Meanwhile, Selangor executive councillor for local government, Ronnie Liu said preliminary investi-gations have found out that a group of disgruntled MBSA contractors were the ringleaders in the incidents

last week across Shah Alam and Petal-ing Jaya.

Liu said the state is tackling the problem by setting up a toll-free number that ratepayers can call to lodge complaints of uncollected gar-bage in their respective housing ar-eas.

Residents can call 1800-88-2824 beginning from Jan 17 to report on uncollected domestic waste.

Liu said ratepayers should provide as much details as possible to the staff manning the 24-hour hotline.

He said action would be taken to resolve rubbish woes within the day, but added that complaints at night would be dealt with the next morn-ing.

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will be divided into 47 zones each with a single waste management contractor.

Ng said contractors who feared being dropped mounted the strike besides threatening other existing contractors.

He said nails were found scat-tered across the roads leading to the Refuse Derivative Fuel Plant in Semenyih. Contractor’s lorries parked outside the premises also had their tires slashed.

On Wednesday, several MPKj contractors had received threats via text messages warning them that their vehicles would be van-dalised if they carried out their tasks.

Ng said the scare tactic had worked because some of the contrac-tors had failed to work their routes with excuses that they were having equipment-related problems.

“Quite a number of contractors called and cited that they were having problems with their lorries or equipment,” Ng said.

The threats have caused wide-spread disruption to garbage col-lection in Bukit Belimbing, Tam-ing Jaya, Segar Jaya, Cheras Harta-mas, Kajang Mewah and Bangi.

Ng said the municipal council is dispatching its in-house garbage collection teams to pick up the waste from the affected areas.

He said MPKj had been swamped with complaints about the situation and added that rate-payers had even resorted to going to his home to lodge reports.

Only two contractors have so far lodged police reports over the threats that were sent out early yes-terday morning.

MPKj president Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abd Rahman met with

councillors in an emergency meet-ing yesterday to discuss contingen-cy plans to deal with the situation.

Ng said Hasan Nawawi, would be lodging a police report in the next few days over the incidents.

SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ January 13 – 15, 2012 ⁄ 3

4 january 13 — 15, 2012

News

EvEnts EKVE will affect forest reserve, says DEIA report

Baking course

Rumah Charis, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which runs a home for seniors and children, is carrying out a community project titled ‘House of Bread’ for youths. The project offers baking courses as well as moral and English classes. There will also be creative baking classes for the public on Saturdays. For details, visit www.rumahcharis.org.my or call 03-77815977 or 016-3178778.

Majestic rising at Pyramid

Visit Sunway Pyramid shopping centre this weekend and stroll around the concourse area to see cherry blossom trees and a huge golden dragon among tall mountains. The 30-feet-high dragon also emits smoke via its nostrils at certain hours of the day. Shoppers who spend more than RM150 will receive dragon red packets. Those spending more than RM800 will get dragon thumb drives.

Charity cookie sale

Rumah Charis is having a Chinese New Year cookie sale. The cookies, which come in 12 unique flavours, can be purchased at the head office in Puchong. Rumah Charis will also be open for public visits during the festive season. For details, visit www.rumahcharis.org.my or call Suzzanne at 012-4723935.

Telling tales

PJ Live Arts will hold a storytelling workshop for chi ldcare providers, kindergarten teachers, early childhood educators, Sunday school teachers and parents on Mar 17 from 10am-5pm at the Pj Live Arts Studio, Jaya One. Registration fee is RM180 + RM50. Those who register before March 1 need only pay RM150. Facilitators are Judith Shaik and Anne Ooi. To register, call 03-79600439 or email genmanager@pjlivearts.my.

My LightHouse open day

My LightHouse, a centre for children with learning disabilities, will hold their open day on Saturday from 9am to noon at 63, Jalan Templer, Petaling Jaya (near Assunta Hospital). For details, call 017-6011683, 03-77818535 or email mylighthouse@krista.com.my.

Youth orchestra audition

Talented youths are invited to an audition organised by Istana Budaya on Saturday to recruit members for its Youth Symphony Orchestra. Those who can play the flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, percussion, violin, cello or double bass are welcome. For details, call 03-40265560.

Food donation

In con junct ion wi th the Ponggal festival, the Sri Langka Tamil Refugees Humanitarian Programme is calling on the public to donate food supplies to Sri Langkan refugees here. Items needed are rice, brown sugar, milk sugar, cashew nuts, ghee and anything else you wish to donate. For further information, call 016-6880455 (Eashvara Lingam).

Muzium Insitu opens to public

A new muzium in Kuala Langat, Muzium Insitu Jugra will open to the public starting from Jan 17. Admission is free and viewing hours are from 10am to 5pm. For more information call 03-31872825 or visit Kuala Langat District Council website www.mdkl.gov.my.

quotablE quotEs

“One-and-a-half years’ suspension for the cause of academic freedom is more noble than a year in jail

for corruption.” – Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) in response to the decision to slap an 18-month suspension on student activist Adam Adli for lowering a flag at Umno headquarters.

“W e c a n pay for the legal fees

to defend the sovereignty, h o n o u r , d ign i ty and credibility of

MAIWP with zakat.” – Federal Territory

Is lamic Rel ig ious Counci l (MAIWP) secretary Datuk Che Mat Che Ali on the use of MAIWP funds to pay for legal fees incurred when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim named him and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom as respondents in his 2010 qazaf application in the Syariah Court.

“In Umno, we have a democratic system that is based on Islam. If a party member does something, he

cannot be so easily expelled like that. We can differentiate from here how much more considerate Umno is compared to other parties.” – Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Datuk Hasan Ali’s sacking by Pas.

“We did not intend for the English translations to turn out that way.” – Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad

Zahid Hamidi on the faux pas caused by the Ministry of Defence website on staff dress code. Using Google translate resulted in amusing translations such as ‘clothes that poke eye’, from ‘Pakaian Yang Menjolok Mata’.

“Anwar, I have said some harsh things about you. I am sorry.

Politics sometimes brings the worst in us. I hope you will be fairly treated.” – Kita president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in a tweet message to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

By Gan Pei Ling

SHAH ALAM: An equivalent of 300 football fields( each 0.7 hectares) of forest reserve will be destroyed with the construction of the pro-posed East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE).

The executive summary of the detailed en-vironmental impact assessment (DEIA) report, available online, revealed that the EKVE would affect 214.7 hectares of forest reserve, displace protected species and affect water catchment areas.

Three Forest Reserves in Selangor; Hulu Gombak, Ampang and Hulu Langat will be affected according to the study carried out by UKM Pakarunding Sdn Bhd.

The DEIA highlighted that protected wild-life such as tigers and tapirs in these three forest reserves will be affected by the highway.

These solitary animals could be displaced to neighbouring plantations, orchards or villagers.

“The displaced tapir could be killed by poachers and if food resources are limited, tigers might shift to livestock that can easily be hunted and killed,” stated the report released on Dec 12.

Destroying the vast stretches of forest reserve will reduce habitat and open the area to poach-ers.

The DEIA is recommending that developer Ahmad Zaki Resources Bhd align the 35.5km-long EKVE “as close or along forest boundary” and fence up the forest strips along the highway.

In addition, the EKVE will pass through potential World Heritage site Klang Gates Quartz Ridge in Hulu Gombak Forest Reserve.

As such, the developer is expected to con-struct two parallel 200-metre underground tunnels to avoid cutting through the ridge, ac-cording to the report.

Connecting the Karak Expressway to the Kajang Silk Highway, the EKVE is part of the larger Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR).

It will allow motorists from Kepong, Selay-ang and Gombak to travel to Bangi, Kajang and Subang without passing through Kuala Lumpur and vice versa. It is also expected to ease traffic congestion along the Middle Ring Road Two.

The report also revealed that the proposed highway will cut across at least 19 rivers includ-ing the upstream of Klang River, where the Klang Gate Dam is located, and Sungai Am-pang. Both areas are vital water catchment ar-eas for Kuala Lumpur.

The DEIA report noted that water quality will be affected by site clearing and earthwork activities during construction as well as base camp activities.

“The main effects will be from the run-off containing water of high turbidity and high suspended solids, especially on rainy days, due to the activities,” the report wrote.

Accidents involving oil or chemical tankers during construction could potentially pollute the important rivers that supply the Klang Gate Reservoir.

“Without proper and adequate oil or water interceptors, the impact can be considered seri-ous for the reservoir water,” the DEIA said.

Studies on the preliminary design also showed that at least seven slopes would be cut

for the highway construction.“The possibility of slope failures, especially

for high cut slopes in granite areas exists.”The report stated that surface runoff will be

high at steeply cut slopes.“To minimise the impact of surface runoff,

a buffer zone of about 10 to 25 metres between the cut areas to the affected river along the spur road at Ampang interchange, Sungai Ampang, Sungai Sikamat must be allocated.”

Besides buffer zones, the report indicated that 90 percent of of soil loss could be reduced by terracing and mulching the slopes as well.

The public has until Feb 3 to fax or mail their objections or comments to the project.

The DEIA is available for public viewing at DOE headquarters and all its state offices, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, Kajang Mu-nicipal Council, Selayang Municipal Council and the national library in Kuala Lumpur.

The DEIA executive summary is also avail-able online at http://bit.ly/ekve_deia.

Mail Feedback To

The Director of the Department of Environment

Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

Level 2, Podium 3, Wisma Sumber AsliNo 25, Persiaran Perdana

62574 Putrajaya(Attn: Assessment Division – DEIA

Secretariat)

Tel: 03-8871 2000Fax: 03-8889 1045

SHAH ALAM: Several short stretches of the proposed East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) will pass through populated areas and displace residents.

“Several privately-owned Malay Reserve land plots in Kampung Sungai Pusu and Hulu Langat town will have to be acquired,” the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) said.

Conducted by UKM Pakarunding Sdn Bhd, the report says some houses in Hulu Langat town will have to be acquired and demolished.

“Adequate compensation should be given to the affected land owners according to current land market prices,” the report noted.

Traffic congestion may increase along Jalan Hulu Langat, Jalan Kuari Sungai Long, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Bukit Belacan, Jalan Ukay Per-dana and Jalan Sungai Pusu during construction.

However, the DEIA said that the increased accessibility via the highway may open up busi-

ness opportunities and employment.It adds that feeder and spur roads leading to

the proposed highway must be upgraded to ac-commodate greater traffic flow.

These include the Ukay Perdana, Ampang, Hulu Langat and Bandar Mahkota Cheras in-terchanges.

In addition, villagers in Kampung Muhibbah and Kampung Datuk Mufti Shuib in Ampang will have to put up with air pollution during construction.

“Activities such as site clearing, earthworks and transportation of construction materials will increase dust levels. During dry periods, strong winds will worsen the situation,” the DEIA said.

Noise barriers must be erected at Pekan Batu 14, Hulu Langat, to reduce the noise impact on the surrounding community.

Piling activities during construction may also cause vibrations along Jalan Batu 14, Kampung

Bestari Sungai Michu, Taman Serenia, Kampung Sungai Pusu, International Islamic University Malaysia Gombak campus.

Connecting Karak Expressway to the Kajang Silk Highway, the 35.5km-long EKVE is part of the larger Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR).

Houses to make way for highway

5January 13 — 15, 2012

news

Residents protesting

the removal

of the barriers.

MBPJ tears down illegal barriersBy Basil Foo

PETALING JAYA: An illegal security barrier on Jalan SS20/17 was torn down by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) enforce-ment officers despite protests from residents yesterday.

“ The barrier is an inconve-nience. Not everyone wants it. We are acting on complaints by some residents,” said MBPJ public rela-tions officer Zainun Zakaria.

She said the road leading to the Damansara Specialist Hospital hindered ambulances from passing through, especially during emer-gencies.

Zainun, who was at the site, said a notice dated Dec 29 was hand-delivered to the residents here to remove the permanent barrier.

“If the residents are concerned for their safety, they should follow proper procedures,” she said.

Regulations only allow boom gates which must be manned at all times and can only be closed from 12am to 6am.

Enforcement officers removed eight steel drums which were filled with water, welded to each other with metal rods, and chained to light poles.

“This is not fair. The majority of us want this barrier. Crime has

Chinese New Year at MBPJ

gone down a lot since this was put up,” said resident Wong Yin Choo, who was present at the site.

A resident who only wanted to be known as Koh said the barrier was put up in 2009 as the neigh-bourhood was then terrorised by “vicious snatch thieves”.

He said the neighbourhood had previously experienced up to three snatch thefts a week, with some victims being slashed before losing their valuables.

“The authorities are making the matter worse. The crime rate is bound to go up after these barriers are removed,” said resident Hoe Yan Lian.

Selamat Menyambut Tahun Baru Cina 2012

Happy Chinese New Year 2012

with Best Compliments From

YAB TAN SRI DATO’ SERI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIMDato’ Menteri Besar Selangor

and Selangor State Government

with Best Compliments From

YAB TAN SRI DATO’ SERI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIMDato’ Menteri Besar Selangor

and Selangor State Government

PETALING JAYA: Three thousand people are expected to join the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) for their Chinese New Year celebration on Feb 4 at their premises.

Those present at the MBPJ’s Dewan Sivik carpark from 7pm-10.30pm will be entertained with various events aimed at showcasing Chinese culture and traditions.

Among highlights of the evening are a callig-raphy writing contest, dragon dance, lion dance and Chinese instrumental performance.

There will also be a parade at 8.30pm, starting

from MBPJ headquarters, through Jalan Yong Shook Lin, Jalan Sultan, Jalan Selangor and back again.

Leading the parade will be the dragon dance, followed by decorated electric bicycles and rick-shaws, stilt walkers, school bands, the disabled and the lion dance

Those feeling luck can also stand a chance to win one of the 100 prizes set aside for the lucky draw session.

Apart from that, there will also be environmen-tal friendly exhibitions, like the electric bicycle

and rickshaw.“We hope this event will bring people of all

races closer and also enable the other races to understand the Chinese culture better,” said a spokesperson from MBPJ’s Public Relations de-partment.

The event is jointly organised by the city coun-cil, councillors and various resident associations around MBPJ.

For more information, contact MBPJ at 03-79563544 ext. 401/351 (Lee Lih Shyan or Nor Afidah Kamaruddin), or 012-2081489.

6 January 13 — 15, 2012

News

TTDI market traders keep up the pressure

Students to breathe easier

By Basil Foo

PETALING JAYA: A U-turn by authorities who now say the Taman Tun Dr Ismail  (TTDI) market will not be demolished is being met with scepticism by traders.

“They say that they won’t touch the market, but we don’t know how firm a decision that is,” said TTDI market traders association chairperson Jenny Loo.

On Jan 4, Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin told Loo and the traders the market would be retained at its original site.

It will, however, be incorporated into the redevelop-ment of the area.

It was revealed that City Hall has received a pro-posal from a developer to redevelop the market land, but no decision to demolish the market has been made.

Nong Chik said reviewing the proposal might take up to a year, but affected stakeholders like the traders will be consulted.

Meanwhile, traders who have been mounting a sig-nature campaign against initial plans by the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) to demolish the 25-year-old market are vowing to carry on.

They have collected 7,000 signatures and will con-tinue the campaign for another 30 days.

“We hope to reach 10,000 signatures by next month. We are still collecting signatures from surrounding residents’ associations,” said Loo.

About 100 traders and residents protested outside the market on New Year’s Eve.

Traders fear the about-turn was made with the com-ing general election in mind with the decision likely to be overturned once the elections are over.

 Loo said while they were not against development, the people’s interests should be taken care of as the market serves many resident in the area.

“The developer who wants to build here is unreason-able. Why touch this land? People still need this market. That’s why the resentment is so strong,” she said.

Bring bombers to justice, says Wong

Ikhsan Mukri

No disruption in Klang

By Brenda Ch’ng

KLANG: Owners of a vacant land in Meru, where a foul stench has been emanating, will be told to clean up for the sake of students studying nearby.

Students from Sekolah Menegah Kebangsaan Meru have had to bear the stench due to stagnant water and rubbish accumulated at the site.

“We understand students have to put up with the foul smell. We’ll tell the developer to clean it up immedi-

ately,” said Klang Municipal Coun-cil’s (MPK) acting president Ikhsan Mukri.

He said that the stagnant water could also be a breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.

Ikhsan said MPK cannot clean up the area because it belongs to a de-veloper but its Engineering Depart-ment will ensure the land owners clean up and maintain the plot.

“We will make sure this problem does not repeat itself in future,” said Ikhsan.

KLANG: Unlike other local au-thorities, the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) has not recorded any acts of sabotage and contractors appointed by the council are work-ing efficiently.

“One thousand complaints have been solved ever since we took over from Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, and our contractors have been working hard to ensure the town is clean,” said MPK acting president Ikhsan Mukri.

He said MPK has identified rub-bish hotspots, which generate more domestic, bulk and garden waste, and have increased the frequency of collection from three to six days a week.

These hotspots include Jalan Kem, Jalan Teratai, Meru, Port Klang, Simpang Empat and Sungai

Udang.Ikhsan pointed out that these

areas were chosen based on the number of complaints received and the number of hawkers operating there.

The system allows MPK contrac-tors to focus on and improve collec-tion in these areas.

MPK has also added 20 rubbish bins there to discourage illegal dumping.

“We also have two complaint hotlines, 016-2720406 (Kamachy) for complaints in North Klang and 016-2506796 (Razif ) for South Klang,” he said.

For cleaning services, the public can contact 019-2245387 for North Klang and 016-3824471 for South Klang.

Ikhsan (centre) looking at the vacant land in Meru.

SHAH ALAM: Perpetrators of the bomb blasts on Monday must be brought to justice, according to Selangor executive coun-cillor Elizabeth Wong.

Wong, whose car was damaged by the explosions, said the act was planned to create chaos and such incidents should not be permitted.

“The first blast damaged mine and Selangor PKOM director Zakaria Abdul Hamid’s cars,” said Wong in a statement on Thurs-day.

“As such, I’m against false reports that the bomb blasts were due to participants of the Free Anwar 901 demonstration,” she added.

Wong urged the authorities to look into the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Three bomb blasts rocked the Kuala Lumpur High Court hurt-ing five people an hour after the court delivered its verdict on the sodomy case involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Monday.

SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ January 13 – 15, 2012 ⁄ 7

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8 January 13 — 15, 2012

news

By Basil Foo

PETALING JAYA: Anger against the proposed Daman-sara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH) was clearly seen when some 800 Mutiara Damansara residents held a protest last Saturday ( Jan 7).

“We don’t want the highway to cut through Mutiara Da-mansara,” said Mutiara Damansara Owners and Resident’s Association (Mudora) president Tony Chung.

He led an irate group of residents from all ages on a two-kilometer walk along Jalan PJU 7/7 and 7/1 to vent their frustration at the proposed highway.

The proposed 17-metre tall elevated highway will run along Jalan PJU 7/7 and 7/1 and will be operated by concessionaire Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas).

Chung, who has stayed in the suburb for six years, said the

construction of the highway here will inconvenience residents and destroy trees.

“Traffic congestion from the project will affect 2,000 landed properties, two condominiums and the Curve commercial area here,” he said.

Resident Kuan Chong Mei said she was worried about the air pollution from the highway as she suffers from asthma.

The 58-year-old former head-mistress said the highway, which will be built just 50 metres away from her house in Mutiara Damansara Zone A, was too close for comfort.

“The traffic noise will cause me sleepless nights as the high-way is very close to our housing area,” she said.

Resident Selvi Ebinesan, who moved into Zone C with her husband Daniel Ebinesan five years ago, said she was caught unaware by the proposed project.

The senior citizen in her 60s is worried for the safety of her nephews and nieces who will no longer be able to walk about the neighbourhood due to the increased traffic once the high-way is completed.

“If I had known the highway would be here, I would not have bought this house,” she said.

“It is ridiculous to have a highway in an existing housing area, especially a matured residential area like this,” added long time resident Ong CH.

Mudora committee member Datuk Aminuddin Ariffin

said to avoid massive traffic jams and pollution, alternative routes for the highway should be considered.

Also present was state executive councillor Elizabeth Wong who said while the Federal government approved the project, the state remains undecided.

“This project is not easy to approve. We will have to change the local plan and the Selangor structure plan,” she said.

Wong, who is also the Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson, said she understood the residents’ grouses and agreed that the highway should be moved elsewhere.

She said the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has been told to conduct a technical assessment to determine if the highway project is feasible.

“During a state executive council meeting , Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim also did not approve the highway and asked for the residents to be consulted first,” she added.

DASH too close for comfort

Mutiara Damansara residents protesting against the proposed DASH highway along Jalan PJU 7/7 on Saturday (Jan 7).

By Brenda Ch’ng

SUBANG JAYA: The municipal council here is being urged to rethink its plans to acquire holiday homes for its staff and reassess their budget priorities.

“I’m all for looking after the welfare of the staff, but when basic infra-structure can’t even be met, I don’t see how acquiring these homes will help anyone,” said Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh.

The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) had disclosed, during their full board meeting last month, that two condominium units at Century Suria, Langkawi would be purchased for about RM530,000.

The two units will be in addition to two existing holiday homes in Port Dickson and two in Cameron Highlands.

“I really hope MPSJ will reconsider this move and prioritise the more pressing needs of ratepayers.

“There are many other ways MPSJ can help their staff and I don’t think acquiring homes is the most beneficial way,” said Yeoh.

Council president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi pointed out that these homes would benefit the 1,400 staff in MPSJ, who could use them for family vaca-tions at a nominal rate.

The new units will be acquired under the council’s asset budget and not from allocations meant for infrastructure or landscaping.

Yeoh pointed out that she has been requesting for a pedestrian bridge to link a secondary school in USJ13 to a residential area in USJ11 since 2008.

But MPSJ has repeatedly told her that they did not have any funds to build the bridge which costs RM500,000.

“Students are seen dashing across the main road (Persiaran Tujuan) everyday. MPSJ is putting their own needs above the safety of the students,” said Yeoh.

Even so, Yeoh has put in another letter to the council, urging them to allocate funds to build the bridge this year.

Reiterating her concerns was Kelana Jaya member of Parliament Loh Gwo Burne, who thinks that the council should prioritise their spending on looking after the needs of ratepayers.

“With current budget constraints on infrastructure or landscaping, irresponsible spending might not be as wise,” said Loh.

MPSJ’s holiday homes get thumbs down SUBANG JAYA: Easing the peak hour traffic

snarl along Damansara Puchong highway (LDP) is one of the many problems that keeps Robert Tan awake at night.

“Residents at Puchong Jaya have been complain-ing about the daily congestion along the LDP when they travel to and from work,” said the two-term Subang Jaya Municipal (MPSJ) councillor.

The 62-year-old real estate agent had proposed an overhead ramp, leading from Sunway to LDP, to be widened.

By widening it, he believes that it can put a stop to the daily traffic congestion going into Puchong.

He said LDP’s concessionaire Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak) has taken up the idea and will be putting the plans into motion this year.

“One bus stop in front of IOI Boulevard has al-ready been relocated to facilitate the road widening project,” he said.

But the move is only a temporary measure to reduce congestion and lessen the daily sufferings of motorists.

Tan pointed out that current infrastructure in MPSJ cannot keep up with the growing volume of cars.

“Something has to be done to strike a balance between the high density development, increasing population and the infrastructure,” he said.

He added that infrastructure plans must go hand in hand with development, to cater to all road users and avoid congestions.

As a long term solution, he proposed for a mass rapid transit (MRT) to be built in the area.

With the MRT in place, more people will travel by public transport and reduce the number of cars on the road.

“Whenever I’m driving, I always see one person per vehicle on the road. If everyone drives, there will

be more and more traffic,” he said.

Currently, there is a light rail transit (LRT) being built in the area, as part of the Kelana Jaya e x t e n s i o n l i n e traveling from Sub-a n g t o P u t r a Heights.

Even so, Tan thinks the LRT will not be enough to accommodate the increasing number of road us-ers 20 years from now.

He is proposing for a MRT to be built in the area after the LRT project is completed.

Apart from traffic woes, residents of Puchong Jaya are also frustrated with the slow response they get from MPSJ, especially complaints about potholes.

“Residents told me that potholes only gets patched after several weeks of complaints.

“I believe that it should be repaired within 24 hours, as it concerns the safety of drivers,” said Tan.

Some residents have also been told by the council that MPSJ had no budget to repair potholes.

“Repairs need to be done regardless of money constraints as the safety of the people cannot be compromised,” he said.

Tan hopes the council will learn to allocate their money accordingly and ensure there is enough money for emergencies.

He hopes that the council will improve their services and set higher standards in terms of delivery, monitoring and inspecting complaints.

“By being more efficient, MPSJ can then serve the people better and fulfill their responsibility as a local council,” he said.

Know Your Councillor –Robert Tan

Chung (left) and Wong during a press conference after the protest.

9January 13 — 15, 2012

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Parents want PPSMI backBy Basil Foo

SUBANG JAYA: Parents who claim a school here is ignoring their children’s choice to continue learning Mathematics and Science in English held a protest last Saturday ( Jan 7).

Some 100 outraged parents gath-ered outside SMK USJ 12 in Persir-aran Setia at 10am for 45 minutes to express their unhappiness with the school.

Moves by the secondary school to distribute text books for the subjects in both English and Bahasa Malaysia (BM) to all students at the start of the school term sparked concern among the parents.

“Teaching in two languages will confuse my children. They’re already feeling demotivated with studying,” said 47-year-old homemaker Sue Pil-lai.

Pillai said her daughter (Form Four) and son (Form One) were among those who received text books in both languages from the school.

The Education Ministry an-nounced last year that students who started learning the subjects in Eng-lish will be allowed to do so until Form Five, but schools were also given the option to teach the subjects in both languages.

This has caused some parents to worry that the teachers could just ignore English. As such, some parents are asking for the reinstatement of the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) policy.

Pillia, who was with her husband M Ramachandran, said some parents are already considering transferring their children to international schools for their English syllabus.

“At least let them finish a whole cycle. If they started studying in

Selangor yet to receive applicationSHAH ALAM: Claims by the Prime Min-ister that Selangor is standing in the way of new homes for second generation Felda set-tlers in Hulu Selangor are not true.  

”No application has been made to the state government to develop housing projects at Felda Gedangsa,” said Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim in a press statement.

On Dec 6, national news agency Bernama reported Datuk Seri Najib Razak as saying that the housing project at Kampung Felda Soe-harto was yet to be implemented because they had not received land approval from the Selan-gor State Government.

“I can’t do anything more as they have rejected the application. The application for the Felda second generation has been rejected by the state government,” said Najib, who is also Selangor Barisan Nasional chairman, while addressing Felda settlers at Kuala Kubu Baru.

However, the Menteri Besar said the state has no knowledge of any proposals as claimed by Najib.

“If any, there was an application to develop 14.65 hectares of land in Felda Soeharto from Felda. But the state government cannot make a decision as this piece of land is gazetted under

Group Settlement Act 1960.“This means that power over the land rests

with the Federal Government. For the prime minister to say that he is helpless is wrong,” said Khalid.

He said checks with the state’s Land and Mines Department showed that there was a proposal in the 1990s to develop housing proj-ects in the area.

“However, the Barisan Nasional state gov-ernment themselves shot down the idea follow-ing the failure of re-development plans at Felda Sungai Buaya,”

Khalid said he regretted that the Prime

Minister chose to push their failure to deliver an election promise to another party.

He pointed out that the state has always been committed to cooperating with the Federal Government for the benefit of the people.

“We have done so for the Greater Klang Val-ley and River of Life projects. There is no reason why we would discriminate against the Felda settlers.

“In fact, more than 2,000 acres of state land were developed by Felda in the Hulu Bernam area. This was done without the state govern-ment’s consent. The state did not receive a single sen as compensation for the usage of land.”

English from Standard One, let them finish until Form Five,” said home-maker Malarkodi Krishnasamy, 50.

Echoing her sentiments was engi-neer Albert Lim, who has a Form Four son in SMK USJ 12 who also started studying Science and Math from Standard One in English.

He said it made no sense for his son to revert to studying the subjects in BM for Form Four and Five only to change back to English when he goes to college.

Lim added that his children will

be further confused when the scien-tific terms his children learnt in English are translated into Malay.

“The parents don’t object to BM but the Education Ministry should not change the syllabus at will,” said 46-year-old manager Peter Ng, who has two sons in the school.

Also at the protest was Concerned Parents of Selangor (CPS) organising coordinator Shamsudin Hamid, who said the parents should have a say in their children’s education.

CPS recently collected 12,000 written letters within two weeks from parents across Selangor calling for the reinstatement of the PPSMI policy.

“We have sent the letters to the Prime Minister. This issue has be-come so serious that it should be taken out of the Education Ministry’s portfolio,” said Shamsudin.

Also present were Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne and Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, who criticised the school for reinstating the policy without sufficient plan-ning and consultation with the par-ents.(From left) Malarkodi, her husband Annanda Perisamy, Lim, Ng.

Yeoh speaking while Shamsudin (in white) and Loh (front row, right) look on.

Shamsudin speaking at the gathering.

10 ⁄ January 13 – 15, 2012 ⁄ SELANGOR TIMES

11January 13 — 15, 2012

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It had been a 14 hour long flight, after an earlier 6 hours flight. I was flying to Evansville, Indiana, to undertake a one semester study grant by the US

Department of State. So there I was, jetlagged and tired but finally, on United States of America soil. It was my first time on a plane and crossing oceans. There was excitement but my tired body was struggling to keep up with it. It didn’t help that at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport where I was transiting, there was a long line at US Customs. I was not in the best mood.

For the last 24 hours or so, I’ve been in airports and inside airplanes. From KL to Seoul to Atlanta, the airport interiors looked nearly the same. Modern, clean, first world. It was the subtle details that made all the difference. In KLIA it was the kebayas on MAS stewardesses and the announcements in Malay. In Incheon Airport in Seoul, it was the completely new experience of being surrounded by predominantly by Koreans and the unfamiliarly curt Ko-rean speech. Finally in Atlanta, African Americans count-ing more than their white counterparts and packaged food everywhere. Welcome to America.

Back home, it has been a habit of mine to assess situations, to guess the racial demographics of Ara Damansara or to gauge where that Malay slang is from. It is my home for 21 years and I have picked up these tiny details all my life. I knew how to behave or act in various situations or places.

Now being foreign, anything goes. There is so much you can read that is in actual fact, the total opposite in real life. (Read : Girls, not all the men here look like James Franco. Sorry.) How do I go about without offending someone or how to convey enough gratitude or how to exude just the right amount of ‘cool’. Okay, the last one was a joke.

It didn’t help that my deepest study of American culture was all 14 seasons of South Park. Though critically acclaimed and lauded as the best satire and most honest television pro-gramme to pop out of the US of A, even I knew you don’t just go around making fun of Jews and mimicking a redneck’s slang just for the heck of it. Not until you can assure yourself that South Park really is the real depiction of the United States, anyways.

Through whatever brain juice that was left in my sleep deprived brain, I told myself to just mind my Ps and Qs and just don’t act like a Cartman-like douchebag. In fact, to just keep quiet. With that, I walked from the North Terminal to the South Terminal to catch my last connecting flight to Ev-

ansville, Indiana. It was a long, long, long walk. But it was also during this walk that I stumbled upon the high-light of my trip.

They were three soldiers in uniform waiting in a de-parture lounge. In my head, I got all giddily excited, ex-claiming “OMG, they’re wearing urban camouflage uniforms like the ones in Hurt Locker! There are real, actual soldier standing in

front of me!” These were the people I saw on CNN, the people the

President of the United States was calling back home, the people who were most affected by 9/11, one of the greatest events of my generation. They carried M16s and faced the possibility of dying everyday just for their country. Scenes from Saving Private Ryan played on repeat in my mind.

I looked down the hallway and there were small groups of them scattered everywhere. Some drinking coffee, some walk-ing about, one on his iPhone talking softly to his wife.

“Are you on your way home?”An old lady called out to one of the soldiers she passed by. “Yes, mam. I’m on my way home.”That was the highlight of my trip. It made the horren-

dously long flights worthwhile to catch that single exchange of words. After 9 years of conflict, the soldiers finally get to come back home to their wives, mums and dads, girlfriends, brothers, sisters. It was a historic moment and that exchange

between the soldier and the old lady was the real and more importantly, the human side of politics and news that TV reports just cannot show. In Malay, there is a word called ‘sebak’ and another, ‘tersentuh’.

In English they would most closely translate to poignant and touching. It was both for me at that moment.

This was America. In retrospect, I believed that, that mo-ment was not just touching, but foreignly so. It was a by-product of a global superpower’s foreign policies, very much unfamiliar to someone from a much smaller and isolated country in the global playing field. Moreover, I had not felt something like that before because my sentiments have thus far been confined to those I have been surrounded with, fellow Malaysians and those I have built relationships with. They were complete strangers to me. Yet the feeling of being touched was strong and genuine.

Was this the real America? Would I come across such achingly real moments like this?I certainly hope so.

Lee Lian Kong is already playing Alleycats’ “Senyumlah Kuala Lumpur” on repeat. She welcomes feedback, do email her at leeliankong@gmail.com

America

YouthologY Lee Lian Kong

In just a couple more weeks the Year of the Dragon is going to roll in. For the Chinese flers it is always an extra-auspicious period

of the Chinese Lunar calendar. So what we can expect this Chinese New Year is an even more garish display of the colours gold and red in the shopping malls. Actually, the incessant Chinese New Year musak is already playing endlessly. Petaling Street vendors are going to drag on their sales of made-in-China new year “must-haves” until the last minute of the 15th day of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon.

And I am sure that thousands of Malay-sians, regardless of ethinicity, have long begun making their own little Dragon ‘souvenirs’. Dragon babies will start making the headlines come January 23, 2012.

And all of a sudden the ordinary piece of fish that you buy from the wet market will

miraculously assume a level of deified gran-deur with names like Dragon Fish and Dragon something or other.

And of course multiply in price at the same time. And restaurant managers will once again begin to use their limited imagination to come up with menu names like Dragon Fortune Set Lunch or Dragon jumps over the Phoenix Nest or something equally stupid and ridicu-lously priced.

But then, if you believe in predictions, es-pecially Mayan ones, you probably would go all the way to splurge and celebrate like there is no tomorrow. Because there actually might not be.

It’s all going to end pretty soon according to the ancient Mayans. Okay, for those of you who may not have read of those 2012 predic-tions by those extinct South American chaps. The Mayans predicted that the world as we know it will end December 21, 2012. Alright, I am sure that most of you have heard the joke that if the Mayan baargers really knew what they were talking about they’d still be around instead of being in the same list as the Dodo bird and the honest politician. Extinct.

Which brings me to my point this month. The Mayan-predicted end of the world may still be a few months off but the end of the world for many things Malaysian has hap-pened already. Don’t you think? Over the course of the past few months we, as citizens of a once idyllic corner of the globe, have seemingly said permanent goodbyes to quite a few things too.

On the positive side, I think Malaysians have finally dealt a fatal blow to apathy. For

so long a slight on our approach to the way things are done with our money, our country and our future. I think we all are now so much more willing to participate in how our coun-try and our resources are being managed. We now care enough to stand up and say, no shout, “Oi! Enough!”.

The 2008 general elections proved it. Ber-sih 2.0 reinforced it. Hey! The power is in our hands. No more standing by an watching our future go down the toilet. Or at least we no longer help pull the flush la.

On the not-so-positive side we seem to have also said a final goodbye to something rare and precious in our nation. Common sense.

Teach Math and Science in Malay or English?

Should cattle live in luxury condomini-ums?

And after more than 50 years of independ-ence why are our political leaders still advocat-

ing crutches to keep certain communities dependent? Mostly on hand-outs?

Ya. Common sense. Why are we, govern-ment and opposition alike, behaving like passengers busy re-arranging deck-chairs on the Titanic?! The ship is in danger of sinking, balls! We need to pull together. As a team. To survive. It doesn’t really matter who’s sitting at the bow or the stern when the entire ship goes under.

Actually, with all that’s been going on, it is no wonder that our ship had sprung a big leak. Nobody seems to be at the helm. And nobody saw the iceberg coming. Right or not?

For much of last year all our politicians from both sides of the divide have been in-volved in everything except managing the country. Stage demonstrations. Quell demon-strations. Ceramah here. Counter ceramah there. Road shows. Just who is minding the shop with regard to our economy? The state of our education system? Healthcare?

Of course now there is the rumour about the General Elections being held soon. And we all know how much time and effort goes into planning and organizing a General Elec-tion. So I will bet that for the next couple of months the government staff will all be busy helping the bosses campaign and doing any-thing but what they should be doing. Not that they have a choice la.

As I was getting this column done I read the news that the High Court had acquitted Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of the charge of Sodomy. So I guess the end of the world, as THEY know it, might come soon than the Mayan prediction. For some people. Maybe.

End of the world?teohlogY patricK teoh

12 January 13 — 15, 2012food

Caption

There are more than 2,600 restaurants and eateries in Klang Valley. That’s a very conservative estimate. If that number is halved, we may haphazardly reach a conclu-

sion that there could be at least 1,300 food courts in the valley.Of course, being a man of limited financial means and even

more restricted mobility, I have visited a fair number of food courts. Naturally, it would be impossible to be a guest of each and every one of these food courts in my lifetime.

It would be easier to arrive at the ICU (intensive care unit) for reckless overeating than to sample even half the dishes in 40 per cent of all the estimated number of food courts.

As if to entice some people with the food varieties on offer which cover practically all racial preferences, it is prudent to limit the coverage of food courts, although quite incomplete, to just 10.

 ASIA CAFÉ SUBANG JAYA

 This food court has been touted as “No. 1 in Subang Jaya”. This claim has yet to be verified by any legitimate authority but quite a number of students will readily agree that it is the centre for a multitude of food choices.

The three institutes of higher learning that are located near Asia Café are Taylor’s College, Metropolitan University College and Inti International Col leg e. Hence, it is quite under-stand that its clientele are predominantly young adults who will eat prac-tically anything all the time and in between tu-torials and lectures.

Pa r ki n g n e a r a n d around the Asia Café can be quite a challenge but that didn’t deter me from circling the block several times in the past before I finally parked my car at a de-cent distance from the food court.

There is a stall that sells nasi lemak in Asia Café which is fairly popular. A relative who recently revisited Malaysia tried the nasi lemak from one of the stalls.

He was over the moon with compliments about “the best nasi lemak” he had ever tasted in Klang Valley. That’s his un-biased opinion.

Asia Café has been operating for more than five years, perhaps longer. The 50 plus stalls under one gigantic roof cater to wide ranging tastes and a lot of Subang Jaya residents swear by their plate of “chap fan” or Sarawak noodles that it is the place to be when one is hungry.

 SS2 PJ MEDAN SELERA

 For a better part of 20 years, I have been an infrequent visitor to this popular food court in SS2. There was a time in the past when restaurants in the area were not that many. Hence, the food court with its dozens of stalls was immensely popular with students, housewives, children, roadside hawkers and elderly folks.

A recent visit revealed that there are now 82 stalls in the Medan Selera. That evening when I was there, half of the food court was enveloped in darkness. Only the other half was brightly lit.

The stalls were conducting busi-ness as if eating was going out of fashion tomorrow. The stall which I am rather fond of stall No. 30.

It sells char koay teow, toong fun, fried beehoon and fried mee. Apparently, it doesn’t sell fried rice anymore because I asked for it and the guy shook his head.

After a lapse of several years, the char koay teow at this stall still tastes the same which means that it is fairly consistent with its quality.

There are other more brightly lit stalls now. A few clearly stood head and shoulders above the others on account of their colour-ful banners and large adver-tisement signages.

At 8pm, the SS2 food court was bustling with activities. Humidity was high despite the ceiling fans. The large crowd left few empty spaces among the long tables that lined the long aisle of the food court.

Hygiene is not exactly something that the residents pay attention to but most customers are quite satisfied that the

selections are affordable. More importantly, there is no dress code when they have their meals here.

 MING TIEN FOOD COURT TAMAN MEGAH

This food court which is located in the middle of Taman Megah is one of my favourite evening pit-stops. But try not to come here on Sundays when there is a pasar malam.

Ming Tien has that alluring ambience that many find quite charming. Its stalls

are strategically located in and around the site. There are large TV screens for customers

who like a bit of entertainment while they dine.The range of street food is astounding. If you

can’t find anything you like at this place, your standards are clearly too high for the likes of this place.

For the rest of us mortals, Ming Tien is that bright spot in our  mundane lives especially when it comes to meals in the evenings.

There is a stall that sells curry mee in Ming Tien that reminds me very much of a few stalls in my hometown Ipoh. It does not taste like the ordinary “curry laksa” that most KL-ites are used to.

There are at least five stalls under its huge roof that have my stamp of approval. There are at least two dozen stalls that I have not tried but then one can only eat so much in a single evening.

ASIAN AVENUE FOOD COURT I only found out about this food court recently. The reason

is that I consciously avoid going to Sunway Pyramid during public holidays and weekends.

On January 2 which happened to be a Monday and a pub-lic holiday, I made the mistake of going there. It so happened that about ten thousand people shared the same sentiment as me.

Consequently, it took almost an hour before I found a se-cluded spot in basement two before I could join the other family members at the TGV cinemplex.

A Foodie’s Guide to Food Courts

Klang Valley has more food courts than one dares to count. LIN ZHENYUAN gives a thumbnail sketch of 10 such places in no particular order.

Eating outside is preferred by those who want to smoke after a meal.

This is supposedly one of the best nasi lemak in Subang Jaya and beyond.

The Medan Selera is where most hungry SS2 residents and visitors congregate after 6pm.

The Ming Tien food court in Taman Megah attracts the most people in the evening.

A Foodie’s Guide to Food Courts

Klang Valley has more food courts than one dares to count. LIN ZHENYUAN gives a thumbnail sketch of 10 such places in no particular order.

Eating outside is preferred by those who want to smoke after a meal.

The food court in the Asian Avenue section of the massive shopping complex has panoramic views of the Sunway Lagoon theme park below.

The breathtaking view is one of the assets of the food court. The place is not large compared with other food courts but it has those types of eateries that are popular among teenagers.

I had curry laksa and found it to be below expectations. The Formosa restaurant seemed to be quite popular. Perhaps I will be a guest there on my next visit in the far future when the crowd is less daunting.

 ARENA FOOD COURT SUNWAY PYRAMID Although the Jusco Arena food court is nothing to shout

about, it has proven its worth among shoppers over the years. This food court at the Sunway Pyramid is slightly noisy and occasionally overcrowded but it has many food choices.

The seating arrangement can be improved upon. Space constraint is an issue here. So one must keep a sharp lookout for diners who are about to vacate their seats.

If you are not sure what to eat, the best option would be to order a plate of sizzling yee mee with “telur mata kerbau”, preferably sunny-side up. You can’t go wrong with that choice.

Since the Arena food court is within the premises of the ever popular Jusco, it will save you a lot of walking just to

find a table and eat to your satisfaction. 

UTAS FOOD COURT SHAH ALAMThis food court in Jalan 15/7 caters mainly to factory and

office workers in the neighbourhood. There are about 30 or more stalls here.

Malay stalls with their myriad dishes hold sway at this food court. The one that caught my attention not so long ago was the stall that sold Kelantan dishes.

The workers were very friendly and when I sauntered in past 2pm, half of its food trays were almost empty. I presumed a large crowd had preceded my appearance at the place.

From the number of customers seated at the various stalls, it is safe bet that factory workers like the selections available. There is nothing like fresh food well cooked and piping hot from the wok.

FOOD REPUBLIC ONE UTAMAThe Food Republic is a recent addition to the wide selection

of eateries at the One Utama shopping complex. It has a mag-nificent view of the roads that separate Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bandar Utama.

The stalls at Food Republic offer some decent choices. The prices are not expensive. They are the kind of dishes that most families will like.

From Middle Eastern cuisine to Kelantan fare and Hong Kong BBQ meat to Thai favourites, Food Republic is becom-ing quite popular among the cinema crowd as it is located near the GSC cinemas.

Food Republic is not like other food courts. It serves slightly exotic culinary choices. The premises are very clean. The atmosphere is conducive for dining satisfaction and you do not have to venture far from the shops while you eat at leisure.

 SELERA JAYA 223 SECTION 14 PJFor those who like to stick to familiar routes in their daily

travels, this place is a bit out of the way. However, if you are a fan of Jackson’s Burger stall in Jalan 14/29, then you are merely a stone’s throw away from this food court.

Selera Jaya 223 has been around for years. Business, I reckon, hasn’t been as delightfully great as the business opera-tors would want it to be but they have their own loyal sup-porters.

The only time when I was there was when I accidentally

stumbled upon it. Since it was lunch time, it was a fortuitous meeting between Selera Jaya 223 and I.

Again, this food court seems to be a food haven for nearby factory workers and office employees. The place has a good mix of races manning the numerous stalls.

Chinese stall owners tend to specialize in fried rice, fried mee and dishes that suit the palate of that community. The other stalls serve popular Malaysian choices like roti canai, tosai and an assortment of Malay dishes.

If the sky suddenly opens up and you are in the area and need shelter, Selera Jaya 223 is a fine place to be. A hot glass of the tarik and perhaps a plate of mee bandung will give you some memorable moments.

 KAMPUNG BARU SG BULOH EATERIESThere’s no need for any food courts in Kampung Baru,

Sungai Buloh because the population there isn’t big. The whole town seems to be one massive food court.

It comes as a surprise to an outsider visiting the new village for the first time to discover that there are dozens of eateries strewn all over the tiny town.

From some of the write-ups plastered on the walls of some of these coffeeshops and restaurants, it would seem that there are plenty of non-Sungai Buloh residents who have quietly made their way to this town for a bite now and then.

The chicken rice I tasted at a stall here could give the Jalan Gasing Ipoh Chicken rice a run for its money. There is also a van that sells its “nasi lemak kukus” near the police beat base in the late afternoon that is immensely popular among the local residents.

The eating stalls in Sg Buloh Kg Baru are reminiscent of Malaya in the early 1960s. The people here invariably notice strangers in town and if you feel that you are being stared at, just embrace the feeling.

But we all come for food and in their own way outsiders help to boost the town’s revenue so all visitors are tolerated in a benign way.

 CHINATOWN BACKALLEY FOOD COURT

  There are several small food courts in the heart of KL Chinatown or “Chee Cheong Kai”. If you like to sit next to open car parks and wet passage ways where Bangladeshi and Nepalese migrant workers walk pass by every minute, treat it as an educational and sociological experience.

I have eaten a number of times in the away-from-public-eye food court in Chinatown. The stalls do sell some interesting items. The yong tau foo stall really does not need your business or mine because it is always crowded.

The yong tau foo stall claims to be from Madras Lane (Penang). I have yet to verify this with my Penang friends. Since this is a predominantly Chinese area, the food selections reflect the popular choices among the community.

Believe it or not, there is a stall that calls itself “Big Mouth Bak Kut Teh”. I am most curious to see what the stall owner looks like.

After what could be deemed as a sprint across the food court highway, I am decidedly famished. Perhaps I look up my per-sonal culinary directory and pick a place I have not visited when dinner time comes.

Clean, spacious and bright interior of the Food Republic.

This food court is tailor-made for those working in the various factories and offices nearby.

Limited seats in the Sunway Pyramid Jusco food court.

The nasi lemak pandan kukus at this makeshift stall near the police beat base is par excellence.

14 January 13 — 15, 2012

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I have a question that’s been puzzling me for a long time. Do lawyers really believe in their client’s innocence? If they don’t, will they refuse to take on a case, or is it

their duty to defend anyone, whether or not they think they are innocent or guilty? Jimmy Liew, via email

Why Jimmy! If lawyers only took cases where they believed in their client’s cause, what work would the judge (or in more civilised systems, the jury) have to do?

The lawyer is much like a taxi cab, lining up and taking on any passenger to wherever he or she wants to go, provided the passenger pays the fare. In law school, lawyers learn of the “cab rank rule” that sets out this basic principal of legal practice. Similarly, a lawyer is obliged to represent any client who seeks his services, provided of course that is in the lawyer’s area of practice and the client is willing to pay the lawyer’s fee.

To understand legal practice and the “cab rank rule”, you must set aside your idea of “cab ranks” based on what you see in KL – this principle wouldn’t work where cab drivers refuse to go a certain route because of bad traffic, or charge based on an illegal, off-meter basis. Hang on, perhaps that’s not too far off what some Malaysian lawyers get up to.

As Rumpole of the Bailey explains it to his “Queer Cus-tomer” pupil master who seems to have forgotten in “Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders (by Sir John Mortimer QC, Penguin, 2005)”:

“And you honestly believe he’s innocent?”“What I believe is immaterial, you know that at least. It’s

not for me to make a judgment, it’s up to the jury.” Here was I, an inexperienced white wig, telling my Heads of Chambers the basic rules of a barrister’s life. “It’s my job to put the case as well as possible. He says he didn’t kill his father or Tail End Charlie. I’ve got to show that it’s at least possible that he didn’t murder anyone.”

A lawyer cannot act for a person if he knows and is told by

the client that the client is guilty. A lawyer cannot knowingly put forward in Court a false case. But it is not for the lawyer to believe or disbelieve his or her client. The lawyer is meant to speak

for the client since the client cannot speak for himself.

The lawyer’s belief is suspended.

Lord Bobo, what are your views on the Fr e e A n w a r 9 0 1

rally? Serial Walker, via email

There has been some ac-tive discussion amongst

LoyarBurokkers, Lord Bobo’s most loyal minions, on the validity of the 901 rally.

First of all, Lord Bobo wants to be very clear that the freedom to assemble peacefully is a constitutional right that cannot, or should not, be taken away. However, the agenda of the 901 rally, which seemed unclear at certain points of time, could be argued to be attempting to influ-ence the judiciary, and pressuring the court into acquitting Anwar Ibrahim.

This is an example of where, although one may not agree with the underlying cause or message, we can still speak up for and uphold the person’s rights. It was unfortunate that the 901 rally was tarnished by some morons who brought out their meriam buluh many many months too early, but overall the attendees and the authorities deserve praise for showing that peaceful assembly is possible.

Anwar is a free man. What’s your reaction to the verdict? Krispy Kreme, via email

There have been many doubts and inconsistencies in the case against Anwar, both in terms of the truth of the allegations, as well as whether the proper procedure and rules of natural justice were followed. In essence, many argued that Anwar was, for many reasons, not given a fair trial.

Did he, or didn’t he? Could he really be that silly after the last case? Did that important person really meet the alleged victim? How does someone hold it in for days on end like that? Did he really have a romantic relationship with a member of the prosecution team?

With the decision, it is hoped that this long-running saga is firmly behind us. Lord Bobo now waits to see what the next “political scandal” will be, for there surely will be quite a num-ber written in the stars for 2012.

Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok (www.

loyarburok.com) where all your profound, abstruse, erudite,

hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and other thaesaurus-de-

scribed queries are answered!

Lawyers, Taxis and Anwar

By Gan Pei Ling

SHAH ALAM: Selangor has doubled its allocation for non-Muslim religious associations from RM3 million to RM6 million this year.

Executive councillor Ronnie Liu said the state had in-creased the amount two-fold due to overwhelming requests for funding from temples and churches.

“The requests for financial support exceeded RM4 mil-lion last year,” said Liu at the state secretariat last Friday.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim gave away RM252,500 to 28 religious associations, with contributions

ranging from RM2,500 to RM50,000 for each house of worship.

Liu said the state usually grants RM2,500 to RM5,000 for activities, RM10,000 to RM20,000 for renovations and RM50,000 for building new places of worship.

Among the recipients was Soo Tong Ser from Lee Onn Temple, located in Kampung Bukit Angkat in Kajang.

“This is the first time we’ve received a state allocation,” said the 56-year-old representative after receiving a RM5,000 cheque from Khalid.

Liu said Selangor has approved more than 200 plots of land for non-Muslim houses of worship since 2008.

“Many temples and churches were located in residen-tial houses or shoplots due to insufficient non-Muslim religious land reserves allocated by the previous state administration. The state will approve land applications if temples or churches can find a suitable area to relo-cate,” said Liu.

The Pandamaran assemblyperson added that Selangor would not evict temples or churches that have been operat-ing from residential or shophouses before 2008.

He said religious associations or committees must be registered with the Registrar of Society and have proper functioning committees before they can apply for land.

More funds for temples and churches

Khalid giving away RM252,500 in allocations to temples and churches while Liu and Kajang assemblyperson Lee Kim Sin look on.

15January 13 — 15, 2012

news

MPK councillor Ivan Ho (second from left), Santiago (centre), Choo (third from right), Sarajun (second from right) and supporters showing the record of new voters since 2008.

Dead Klang voters to rise again?By Brenda Ch’ng

KLANG: An increase in the num-ber of deceased in the electoral roll is again raising the spectre of phan-tom voters.

Charles Santiago, who wrote to the Electoral Commission (EC) over the increase of 6,245 voters in the Klang constituency, was shocked when told that they were dead.

“They told me they were still cleaning up the electoral roll and that those were names of the dead which

number of voters in each of the three state seats, Pandamaran, Port  Klang and Kota Alam Shah, under his constituency.

“They must clarify this huge in-crease of voters (from 2008 until September 2011),” he said at a press conference at his office on Wednes-day.

He said that in the Port Klang state seat alone, 4,864 new voters were recorded in 2011 alone com-pared to 2008 when just 840 people registered.

It’s a huge increase as Port Klang did not have any new residential developments to support the influx

of new voters, he claimed.Also present at the press confer-

ence was Klang municipal councillor Robert Choo, who also found a list of 1,447 voters in Kuala Selangor and Kapar who are aged between 128 and 131.

“The EC should clearly explain all these discrepancies if they want the people to trust them again,” said Aliran’s executive committee mem-ber Sarajun Hoda.

Sarajun, a member of the reform movement for justice and freedom, was also present at the press confer-ence together with MPK councillor Ivan Ho.

Dumpsite poses danger to food court customersBy Alvin Yap

PETALING JAYA: An illegal construction dump next to a food court in Taman University is raising the ire of Taman Tunku assemblyper-son  Lau Weng San.

Lau said the site in SS3/33 has become a hotspot for contractors to dump empty cement bags, paint cans and refuse from renovation works.

“Majority of the materials that are dumped here are construction waste,” said Lau during a visit to the area on Tuesday.

He said irresponsible renovation contractors were putting the lives of customers in danger.

“Debris from renovation can cause breathing ailments. Dust can get into the food and drinks,”

said Lau.He fears that rogue contractors would follow

suit and dump bulk and garden waste there in an effort to discredit the city council’s efforts to handle waste management.

“I’m worried there will be deliberate dumping at that spot by unhappy contractors out to make MBPJ look bad in this area,” he said.

Lau’s statement comes in the wake of recent media reports that disgruntled contractors are dumping rubbish in public areas.

He called on ratepayers in his area to report acts of illegal dumping to MBPJ.

“Don’t let our public areas be a dumpsite. We have to cooperate and work together,” he said.

The first-term lawmaker said 30 new public cleaning contractors were recently briefed by

MBPJ on illegal dumping.They will commence work on March 1, in-

cluding going to illegal dumping hotspots in the city and collecting waste every alternate day.

However, he said the contractors could also be dispatched on short notice if the situation warranted it.

He said illegal dumping was stretching the city council’s ability to manage contractors’ schedules.

“Whether the situation is caused by errant people or a deliberate act to sabotage the state’s image, we have to step up our efforts to fight the problem,” he said.

Petaling Jaya city councillor Tiong Boon Keong said the illegal dumpsite was an ongoing problem which started in November last year.

have not been removed,” said the Klang Member of Parliament.

Santiago said he received a phone call from the EC after sending his letter on Dec 29, but their verbal explanation is raising more questions than answers.

He said the names should have been removed immediately after his or her death.

“Are they saying that 6,245 peo-ple died over the past three years? If it’s true, shouldn’t the number of

voters be decreasing?” he asked.Santiago said such discrepancies

were unacceptable and that the EC should meet with him to resolve the issue. A second letter request-ing a meeting will be sent soon to the EC.

Santiago discovered the sudden influx of voters when his office com-pared their records provided previ-ously by the EC and the latest elec-toral roll.

EC’s latest electoral roll shows 90,817 voters in Klang, but Santia-go’s records show only 84,572.

His office had arrived at the 84,572 figure by calculating the

(From left) Lau showing the dumpsite with cement bags as Tiong (right) looks on.

Neighbourhood living in fear of more break-ins By Basil Foo

SUBANG JAYA: Rampant burglaries at Taman Perindus-trian UEP are giving residents the jitters.

“We faced frequent break-ins last year, up to five times a week,” said Taman Perindustrian UEP Residents Association (Tampura) chairperson Kenneth Tan.

Tan, who spoke to the press after meeting Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh on Tuesday, wants authorities to install more lights at the entrance and main roads of the neighbourhood.

He also also wants security fences to be improved.“The last incident was a car theft last year. That was a few

days before we hired security personnel to guard the en-trances in November,” he said.

The neighbourhood has experienced fewer break-ins since the security posts were set up, but residents are still concerned.

Tan’s wife fell prey to snatch thieves in front of their house while the home of businesswoman Mariani Mohd Osman has

  Taman Perindustrian UEP is divided in two by Persiaran Setia. Each half has one entrance facing the main road.

“I’m getting quotations to buy lights for the two main entrances,” she said.

She urged the Subang Jaya Mu-nicipal Council (MPSJ) to supply floodlights to two playgrounds in both sections of the housing area.

This call comes in the wake of a snatch theft case last year when a couple was attacked and robbed by10 motorcyclists at the Jalan TP 1/3 playground at night.

The residents, whose homes are adjacent to Tenaga Nasional’s re-serve land and Petronas’ gas pipe-line, are calling for fences to be set up by the two bodies.

“Existing fences should be re-paired urgently for added security. We have even seen people venturing near the gas pipeline to play with firecrackers,” said Tampura secre-tary Razali Abdul Rahman.

been broken into three times since 1995 when she moved in.“The latest incident was last August when I wasn’t at home.

They broke into my house and stole my laptop and jewelry,” said the 40-year-old resident.

During the visit, Yeoh pledged to pay for two lampposts to be installed at each of the two entrances into the neighbour-hood.

Tan (third right), Yeoh (fourth left), Mariani (second right), and Razali (in red).

16 January 13 — 15, 2012

News

MBSA wants contractors to be committed

Funds raised for court action against Lynas

By Alvin Yap

SHAH ALAM: Newly-appointed waste management contractors have been told not to squander the trust and opportunity to work with the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA).

Mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan, who ad-dressed the 99 new contractors on Tuesday, said they were chosen from “hundreds” of other appli-cants.

“You were picked from a huge pool of hopefuls. Prove you can do the job and that we didn’t pick the wrong players for the team,” he said.

The advice comes amid acts of intimidation and sabotage by rogue contractors against MBSA and other local authorities in Selangor.

Last week, MBSA lodged four police reports after their contractors were prevented from carrying out their tasks in Section 7, 9 and 17.

Mohd Jaafar urged the new teams to carry out their public cleaning jobs according to procedure.

He said auditors from MBSA would go to each zone to evaluate the contractors.

“You’ve been on the job since Jan 1. You have your list of what is to be carried out. So go out there tomor-

row and clean the drains, sweep the streets and please don’t leave the rubbish under a tree or other places,” he said.

The 99 contractors were vetted and chosen by the MBSA services and procurement department based on their bids for the open tenders.

The new contracts stipulate a two-year term of service which gives an opportunity for operators to recoup their investments.

This is because the contractors have to buy costly equipment like RORO (roll on-roll off ) bins as well as public cleaning trucks.

The group will take care of public cleaning in the city which MBSA has divided into 99 zones.

Mohd Jaafar also told the contractors to concentrate this week on collecting bulk and garden.

The one-off arrangement is aimed at clearing the streets of waste that is left in public areas by rogue con-tractors.

“There are 99 contractors, and three days collection can solve almost 70% of the problem of waste left in Shah Alam,” he clarified.

He told them to use their mobile phones to take pictures of the garbage before and after collection to show proof that they had done their job. Mohd Jaafar briefing the newly-appointed contractors on Tuesday.

SHAH ALAM: The RM160,000 raised by the Stop Lynas Coalition from a charity din-ner here will be used to file an injunction against the project.

“We have enough funds to start proceed-ings,” said Coalition chairperson Andansura Rabu after the dinner at the Shah Alam Con-vention Centre (SACC) last Saturday.

The coalition, which includes concerned Kuantan residents, has been mounting a campaign to block the Lynas Advanced Ma-terials Plant (LAMP) refinery in Pahang from going operational.

The plant is set to produce rare earth, a mineral which is a key component in making high-tech products.

But residents there argue that the plant will

be harmful if it should start operating as planned by early this year.

The co-defendants in the injunction include the Ministry of International Trade and Indus-try, Ministry of Science, Technology & Innova-tion, the Pahang state government , Kuantan Municipal Council, Pahang State Land and Mineral Office and other agencies.

During the dinner Kuantan Member of Parliament Fuziah Salleh said residents have rejected the project for health reasons despite claims that the project would generate RM8 billion in revenue.

“It’s a public health hazard concern,” she said.

Selangor executive councillor for environ-ment Elizabeth Wong said revenue from such

projects do not justify the potential harm it poses to lives and the environment.

Wong, who was representing Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at the dinner, said Selangor would never approve such a project.

Wong cited the example of the Bukit Merah rare earth plant in Perak, which ceased operations in 1992 but is still blamed for causing birth defects until now.

“We do not want a repeat of what hap-pened in Bukit Merah where the impacts are still felt until today,” she said.

The dinner was also attended by the Men-teri Besar of Kelantan Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who came to show support for the participants.

By Brenda Ch’ng

KLANG: Urban and rural development plan-ners will head local authorities to ensure Se-langor’s cities and townships are planned properly.

“We need experienced planners at local councils who can help create a more sustain-able town or city,” said Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

The Menteri Besar said mayors and council presidents need a combination of vision and experience to better lead local governments.

Citing an example while he was in the cor-porate sector, Khalid said he had proposed that the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) develop 5,000 acres of oil palm estate land in Bukit Tinggi Klang.

But his idea to develop and turn the area into the centre of Klang was rejected by the then MPK president.

“The council couldn’t see the potential of the land as they didn’t have the experience in development planning. No matter how hard I tried to explain, they still didn’t understand my plans,” said Khalid.

Khalid said new appointments must be leaders who can offer their vision and ideas for the future.

Last year, the state took the lead by appoint-ing Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) plan-ning and development director Noraini Roslan as president of Kuala Selangor District Coun-cil (MDKS).

“There will be more such appointments at other local councils in the future,” said Khalid.

Khalid: Planners to head local councils

(Left to right): Fuziah, Wong, Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Nik Abdul Aziz and GombakMP and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyperson Azmin Ali at the Lynas fundraising dinner on Saturday.

SELANGOR TIMES ⁄ January 13 – 15, 2012 ⁄ 17

18 ⁄ January 13 – 15, 2012 ⁄ SELANGOR TIMES

SKIP–LDP PROPOSED INTERCHANGE (EXIT 1123)

19January 13 — 15, 2012

media

Sentral in the heart of Bangi

Tiew: Sentral @ Bangi will be a mall for everyone.

By Basil Foo

BANGI: Commercial and business centre Sentral @ Bangi CBD is be-ing positioned as the final piece of the puzzle in the Bandar Baru Bangi town centre.

Comprising of 86 four-storey shop offices with underground park-ing and an adjacent four-storey shopping centre, the development will soon be the heartbeat of Bangi.

“We are filling a vacuum of what wasn’t available here for many years,” said Andaman Property Manage-ment Sdn Bhd (APM) head of sales and marketing Datuk Vincent Tiew.

He spoke during a press confer-ence at the Andaman sales gallery in the Bandar Baru Bangi town centre after officially launching Sentral @ Bangi CBD on Wednesday.

Tiew said the plan is to provide Bangi residents with an unparalleled shopping experience, incorporating a cinema and bowling alley in the mall.

There were no cinemas or bowl-ing centres in Bangi prior to this.

“Due to population growth in Kajang, Bangi, and Semenyih in recent years, we are confident that this will be the neighbourhood mall for all,” he said.

He added that the lack of choices faced by shoppers from Cyberjaya and Putrajaya will lead them straight to Sentral mall’s doorstep.

The mall, which is owned by joint venture company PKNS-Andaman Development Sdn Bhd, will cover 1.78 hectares of land.

A link-bridge will be built from the first floor of the mall, over a

promenade area, to the neighbour-ing commercial centre containing 86 shop offices.

With 90% of the shop offices sold during a week-long pre-launch pe-riod, construction is expected to begin in April. The construction is expected to be completed in two years.

“We are glad that most of the buyers are end-users who operate their own businesses. There are no speculators here,” Tiew added.

The majority of the shop office units, 74 of them, have a built-up area of 6,543 sq ft, eight units are at 9,082 sq ft, and four at 11,729 sq ft.

He attributed the brisk sales to the affordable pricing and added value, like lower-ground parking and individual liftsr.

Joint effort needed to clean up riverKLANG: Collaboration between Putrajaya, Selangor and local au-thorities is needed to rehabilitate Klang River.

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said a joint effort was necessary because the river flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

“A clean Klang River will also bring future sustainable riverside developments and can even be a tourist attraction,” he said on Tuesday.

The Selangor Menteri Besar was speaking at a seminar on the sus-tainability of water resources at Premier Hotel here.

The seminar was held to enable local councils and non-governmen-tal organisations (NGOs) to seek ways to conserve rivers.

“Rivers should be well-conserved because they are an important source of water for us,” said Khalid.

He urged local councils, councillors and NGOs to work together.“I hope all participants will share ideas and discuss ways to conserve

our water resources,” said Klang Municipal Council (MPK) acting president Ikhsan Mukri.

Chinese New Year shopping at PublikaKUALA LUMPUR: Be spoilt for choices while shopping at the Publika Shopping Gal-lery, Dutamas this Chinese New Year by visiting their nine newly open pop-up stores.

Also known as guerilla stores, shopaholics can expect to find a vast range of brands selling a variety of clothing, accessories, shoes, bags and home decor furnishings.

Among them are The Jeans Bar with an as-sortment of jeans, Cult brand Corgi selling Korean designer shoes and bags, and Monica Quen selling Chinese inspired tops and dresses.

Meanwhile, those looking for unique home decor and furniture for the upcoming festive season, can visit either Ambiance or British India Homes.

If pop-up stores isn’t really your thing, visit the other stores in Publika, like Kaleidoscope, which features and an eclectic style or The Mail which is more chic and fashionable.

For vintage lovers who only want unique, quirky things, head on down to The Odd Loft which promises shoppers an array of designs for all.

When you get tired of walking, rest your feet and grab a bite at EAT Food Village food court, where one can get Malaysian favourites like Hokkien noodles.

As a Chinese New Year special, shoppers can also enjoy Yee Sang at Ah Yap Hokkien Mee & Seafood Restaurant from Jan 13 - Feb 6, at the food court.

If tossing the Yee Sang with a small group of friends or family is too ordinary, join the long table ‘yee sang tossing’ event on Feb 4 at 2pm.

Apart from that, be entertained by dragon dance performances, lion dance on stilts perfor-mance, Chinese instrumental performance and a Chinese puppet show.

Also, keep an eye out for the God of Prosper-ity who will be making his rounds at the shop-ping centre this Chinese New Year.

Shoppers who spend RM30 or more in a single receipt can redeem angpow packets at the information counter.

For more information call 03-62079426 or visit their website at www.publika.com.my/www.facebook.com/PublikaShoppingGallery.

Monica Quen sells Chinese tops and dresses.

Jeans Bar sells an array of jeans.

20 January 13 — 15, 2012

media

SHAH ALAM: Using its four shopping malls, Sunway Group of Shopping Malls raised RM50,000 in aid of Thailand’s flood victims.

Partnering the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS), Sunway Pyramid, Giza, Carnival and Putra used just two months (Nov-Dec 2011) to raise the funds.

The funds were raised through various programmes held in conjunction with activi-ties in the malls.

Some of the efforts include monetary do-nations collected at all concierges and also by Leo the Lion, Sunway Pyramid’s mascot, the Joyful Christmas: Costume Charity Run (where the registration fee of RM20 was chan-nelled to MRCS) and a charity bazaar held on Dec 17 in conjunction with Miss Sunway Charm.

Recently, MRCS, represented by its secre-tary-general Datuk Dr Noordin Ab Razak,

received the RM50,000 cheque from Sunway Shopping Malls representatives – chief oper-ating officer Kevin Tan and Pyramid market-ing director Phang Sau Lian.

RM37,252.30 was collected from the pub-lic through the mall’s fund-raising activities and business partners while the remaining RM12,747.70 was contributed by the Sunway Pyramid management.

“When this tragedy happened, we could not just sit around and do nothing as Thai-land is our neighbor.

“This is why we decided to help raise funds for Thailand and do the best we can as part of Sunway Shopping Malls’ corporate social responsibility initiative.”

In October, a major flood hit the Thailand shores, affecting more than 3.4 million peo-ple, killing at least 600 and forcing more than 800,000 people to evacuate their homeland.

Sunway malls raise RM50k for Thai flood victims

By Basil Foo

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor MATTA Islamic Travel Fair (SMITF) will offer Malaysians a wide range of holiday destinations.

The fair, to be held at the Shah Alam Convention Center (SACC) from Feb 10-12, is expected to draw 20,000 visitors.

The public can also expect 120 booths offering a wide range of options.

“The fair will cater to outbound travellers to coun-tries in the gulf region like Oman and Qatar,” said SACC chief executive officer Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad.

He was speaking after signing an agreement with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Selangor at the SACC on Monday ( Jan 9).

  MATTA Selangor has agreed to hold SMITF in SACC for the next five years, starting with the one next month, at special rates for the use of its ballroom.

“So far five Saudi Arabian companies have already

booked booths with us, along with companies from China, Turkey, and Indonesia” said MATTA Selangor chairperson Helmi Daud.

Helmi, who co-signed the agreement, said the fair will also feature “home stay” programmes where travel-ers can live in the houses of the natives in East Malaysia during vacations.

“We are targeting a RM20 million sales target, which is an increase from RM16 million last year,” said SMITF 2012 organising chairperson Mohd Akil Yusoff.

To reach the target, MATTA is banking on the start of the umrah season next month, which is the pilgrim-age to Mecca, and the school holiday season in May and June.

Also present was Tourism Selangor general manager Noorul Ashikin Mohd Din, who said they will be pro-moting new tourism hotspots in the state at the fair.

“New tourism spots in Selangor like the Sepang and Morib Gold Coast, together with medical and educa-tional tourism will be promoted,” she added.

MRCS secretary-general Datuk Dr Hj Noordin Hj. Ab. Razak receiving a cheque from Sunway Pyramid Chief Operating Officer Kevin Tan.

Fair to promote Arab, regional and local destinations

HULU KELANG: Saari Sungib’s Islam Democracy and Human Rights was the subject of a book review at the MPH Book Fair at KL Sentral last week.

The Hulu Kelang assemblyperson recently penned the book that  highlights democratic ideals and practices in the Quran and the Islamic golden age during the period from 600-1000 in the Mid-dle and Near East.

“I wanted to showcase that democracy is not alien to Islam, as some would claim, but flourished in the Islamic civilizations,” said Saari  to International Islamic University scholar Mokhtar Rozaidi Mohammad during the review-cum book launch.

The lawmaker told Mokhtar, who carried out a peer review of the book, that he valued the foreword he had written for the book.

A participant at the book review asked Saari if Pas, of which he is a member, whether he would uphold democracy and other human rights liberties.

“Yes, always,” Saari replied.He explained that press freedom, clean and fair elections are

needed for an accountable and transparent government to function properly.

UM student Mohd Rozlan Shafie said he liked the ideas put for-ward in the book that democracy could feature strongly in a religious-based political party, citing Pas as an example.

The launch and review was attended by some 40 people who later bought Saari’s book and asked for him to autograph the copies.

Lawmaker’s book highlights democratic ideals in the Quran

Mokhtar describing the contents of the book as Saari looks on.

Helmi (second left) and Zulkifli (centre) shaking hands after signing the agreement between MATTA Selangor and SACC. Looking on are Mohd Akil (far left), PKNS deputy general manager (Admin & Development) Noraida Mohd Yusof (second right) and Sierra Management Sdn Bhd chairperson Datuk Mohamad Adan (far right).

21January 13 — 15, 2012

food

By Basil Foo

Rich food in a cozy and romantic setting is what we experienced one weekday night at Decanter in Section 17 Petaling

Jaya. The outlet was easy enough to spot at night

and was the only lit establishment tucked away at the end of a row of darkened shop lots.

Situated along Jalan 17/56, the restaurant was named after an apparatus which is used to separate cloudy sediment-filled wine from clearer portions of the drink.

True to its name, rows upon rows of tinted wine bottles were used to decorate the walls of its interiors, providing an Old World coziness to the dining experience.

The staff were friendly and accommodating when asked about the ingredients of certain dishes and sufficiently attentive when called upon.

Decanter’s main glass doors opened into a ground-floor eatery with separate tables and booths for the more riotous of diners.

We chose the second floor as it seemed less occupied and also because it extended out into an open-air balcony overlooking the main en-trance.

Dishes could be ordered off the menu book-lets or from a little chalkboard plaque on the wall which listed down the day’s specials.

In the appetizer section of the menu was an oddity even for Malaysians who are used to pungent fruit and tongue-scalding spiciness – Escargot (RM15).

A dish usually served in French restaurants, the six toasted snails arrived with a side of creamy garlic butter sauce and pieces of garlic bread.

The escargots were slightly chewy in consistency and tasted not unlike the cockles one gets in a dish of Char Kway Teow.

Of course that comparison, while truthful, was made just to boost the confidence of jittery first-timers.

Brave diners, on the other hand, will be rewarded by succulent bites

of soft snail, warm liquid cheese and crunchy toasted bread.

The Smoked Duck Aglio-Olio (RM25) off the a la carte section was

the next dish to wow our taste buds.

S m o k e d duck slices cov-

ered a neat pile of spaghetti sautéed

with chilli flakes, olive oil, garlic confit, and sundried tomato.The spaghetti was cooked with

just the right amount of oil leaving it neither too dry nor swimming in oil either.

Playing off the mild salty flavour of the noodles, the savoury duck pieces tasted delightful. This dish is enough to entice us to return once again.

A hefty portion of meats came next in the Mix Grilled Platter (RM45) under the list of Specials, including lamb, chicken, fish, prawn, and turkey ham.

All the meats were served in the same dish which resulted in a mix of juices and a cross-pollination of fla-vours.

Among those to have stood out were the prawns which were gener-ous in size and had their shells opened slightly to be filled with cheese, quite like a baked lobster.

The cuts of lamb were also a hit with their tender texture and heady taste. The dish came with a side of mashed potatoes, mixed salad, and

black pepper sauce.The aromas of the seafood and

lamb boosted the sweetness of the chicken and fish which, while unre-markable, were to their merit filling enough.

Under the title Homemade Des-serts in the menu was the Banana Peach Crumble (RM7) which was served with custard.

While chock-full with sweet ba-nanas, the pastry felt far from crum-bly and left much to be desired from the dish.

Overall the restaurant hit some high notes as well as some low ones with us. We would return, if only to order our favourites again while try-ing newer offerings.

A quiet place on weekdays, De-canter is a great place for a date, while its prices suggest that ocassion be reserved to special occasions only.

Old World coziness to the dining experience

Escargot a must-try for first timers.

The second floor is lined with bottles of wine.

Mix Grilled Platter.

A dish to return for is the Smoked Duck Aglio-Olio.

Decanter’s open-air dining area.

Banana Peach Crumble.

22 January 13 — 15, 2012

Gallery

Hulu Kelang assemblyperson Saari Sungib (second left) helping home owner Rosli Man replace a roof in Kampung Bukit Cerakah Jaya on Jan 7. The roof was donated by Meru assemblyperson Dr Abdul Rani Othman.

Selangor assemblyperson M Manoharan on his rounds last week in Kota Alam Shah to check on sabotage by disgruntled contractors. He was shocked to see items, including mattreses, being thrown indiscriminately.

A family protesting against the proposed DASH highway at the Jalan PJU 7/7 and 7/1 traffic junction last Saturday (Jan 7).

(From left) Selvi and Daniel Ebinesan, CH Ong and his wife were among the Mutiara Damansara residents who protested against the Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH) last Saturday.

Parents protesting the teaching of Math and Science in Bahasa Malaysia and English outside SMK USJ 12 on Saturday (Jan 7). Also present were Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh and Kelana Jaya Member of Parliament Loh Gwo-Burne.

A Stop Lynas Coalition activist manning the merchandise booth

at the Shah Alam Convention Centre last Saturday to raise

funds. RM160,000 was raised for its court injunction against the

rare earth plant.

23January 13 — 15, 2012

culture

By Dominic Luk

Parah, a play produced by The Instant Cafe Theatre Company and directed by Jo Kukathas, will be showing from Feb 1-5 at Pentas 2 (KLPAC). Selangor Times speaks to the playwright, Alfian Sa’at, to find out what he thinks about Parah as well as the theatre scene in Malaysia.Alfian, an award-winning playwright and a Singaporean, writes plays both in Bahasa Malaysia and English, many of which have been translated into German and Swedish.

What is Parah about?Alfian: It’s about four students in KL: Melur, Hafiz, Mahesh, and Kahoe, They are very good friends who hang out a lot together. Through the play, they discover more things about who they are as well as their histories. The story is inspired by Yasmin Ahmad’s final film, Talentime, and Abdullah Hussain’s novel, Interlok. In the story, Melur discovers that one of the pages from a novel belonging to her schoolteacher mother has been torn out. She thinks that one of the boys has mischievously played a prank, and so she begins to find out what really happened. As she investigates further, the boys begin to show interest in the incident and also start to question the contents of the missing page that was torn out from this novel, ‘Interlok’. The show will be in Bahasa with English subtitles.

Through writing Parah, what did you actually hope to achieve?Alfian: Well, I didn’t write the play to make any statements or to send any kind of message. My true intention of writing Parah was to instigate the audience to have critical thoughts about their lives and the societies they live in, to realize the need for discussion, and to go back home and think of how the story relates to them on a personal and collective level. Everyone will definitely see the play through their own eyes, but I wrote this merely to create an avenue for people to start thinking and asking questions of their own.

You’re a Singaporean, how do you feel you fit into the Malaysian theatre scene?Alfian: I have been writing plays for many years, and I have worked very closely with theatre companies in Malaysian almost throughout my entire writing career. I feel that these two countries are similar in many ways, and although my plays may be perceived differently when shown in Malaysia, I feel that I contribute towards the development of the creative industry as a whole, where we can work together and build strong relationships. I do what I love, which is writing, and I believe that transcends national borders.

How did the viewers in Singapore react to Parah when it was shown there?Alfian: Because the content did not relate to them as much as it did with the Malaysian audience, they took it on an intellectual level, more like food for thought. It is definitely a good way to stir conversations among the Singaporean people about the things that happen around them, and the possibility of similar things happening in Singapore. Malaysians brought it more to an emotional level, clearly because they could relate directly to the story and felt like it spoke to them.

Parah is based on Yasmin Ahmad’s film, Talentime. How has she inspired you?Alfian: Yasmin dared to talk about the simple and yet complex things in our society. I share her vision in generating more conversations about the things that matter to us. Sometimes when I write, I do feel like she is there with me, giving me ideas of what words to put in to the script. It’s a beautiful experience knowing that

someone so profound is inspiring me in my work. I plan to do more plays based on her films, and these are still in the pipeline.

Are you happy with the progress of Parah so far in terms of rehearsals and preparation?Alfian: Yes, very much. I love it when the plays that I write grow organically on their own and become a part of the actors’ lives. The more they rehearse, the more I feel like I am also learning about the things I write about. It inspires me to perceive things in so many different ways, and I am excited about the whole production. It definitely will be a great show. Malaysians are very talented, and we saw this very clearly through the auditions for Parah.

InTErVIEW

PERFORMANCE DETAILSDATE & TIME:

Feb 1-5, 2011 @ 8.30pm (Wed-Sun) / 3.00pm (Sat & Sun)

VENUE: Pentas 2,

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts CentreTICKET PRICE:

RM38-flat (Opening Performance), RM48 / RM38 (Limited Concession Tickets).

Call KLPAC Box Office: 03-4047 9000 for ticketing or visit www.instantcafetheatre.com for more info.

Monster Series IIMusical: Jan 13 (8.30pm), Jan 14 (3pm & 8.30pm) & Jan 15 (11am & 3pm); Pentas 2 Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org; RM15-RM25

Presented by The Actors Studio Academy @ klpac and Noise Performance House, Monster Series II – duoduo the little monster is a Mandarin musical. “duoduo, the little monster” is about a young boy named Dong Dong. Spoilt by his parents, he is able to get whatever he wants by just a snap of his fingers. However, after the arrival of his little sister, Dong Dong begins to feel left out and lonely. He goes through an incredible adventure before becoming a loving and protective big brother. This musical is directed by Jason Ong and written by Lim Chia Chia and has more than five ADA Drama Awards winners.

EDITOR’S PICK

At A Plank BridgeTheatre: Jan 17-20 (8.30pm) & Jan 21 (3pm & 8.30pm); Pentas 2 Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org; RM23-RM43

Featuring Mano Maniam and Ming Lee, At A Plank Bridge is a story of two men during World War II, who meet accidentally on a back country road in Malaya in 1945, just after the surrender of the Japanese Occupation army. Riding on his bicycle, Fook Leong finds a large handcart next to a bench on the road. When he stops to examine the cart, he is attacted by Chandran, who thinks the Chinese middle school teacher is a bandit. While the initial confrontation is easily resolved, the duo discovers a far deeper conflict between the two of them. This event is part of Art for Grabs – Human Rights Day and is brought to you by Amnesty International Malaysia and The Annexe Gallery.

Tamilselvi doesn’t speak TamilComedy: 14-15 Jan; Indicine, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KL; 03-40479000; www.klpac.org; RM18-RM28

Tamilselvi, a Tamil educated Tamil, refuses to speak Tamil! She wants nothing to with it! Why? ‘Tamilselvi Doesn’t Speak Tamil’ is not only about Tamil, it is about Malayalam, Telugu, Punjabi, Hindi and INDIANS in general. It reveals SOME secrets about Indians. It looks at the attitude of Indians towards their mother tongues, their love for the English language and for some die-hard Indians, their hate towards Indians who speak only English. It brings out to the open, a topic which is never discussed – the difference between only mother tongues speakers and only English speakers. ‘Tamilselvi Doesn’t Speak Tamil’ is a standup comedy NOT a drama. it pokes fun at Indians. If you are sensitive, you may cry. If you have a weak heart, you may get a heart attack! It is written, directed and produced by an English theatre activist, Morgan.

Comedy Club is backComedy: Jan 17-20; PJ Live Arts Jaya One; 017-2289849; www.thecomedyclubkl.com; RM63

After a six-month break, The Comedy Club KL is back have you rolling on the floor laughing once again. Get the funniest jokes, bits and bangs from Canadians Phil Nichol and Steve Northcott. Nichol is an award-winning comedian while Northcott’s brand of music, storytelling and sarcasm will have you in stitches. The duo will be joined by young British stand-up Jimmy McGhie, who is highly sought after as a TV warm-up.

CaLEnDar

Published by Selangor State Government and printed by Dasar Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd No. 7, Persiaran Selangor, Seksyen 15, 40000, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.